A Permanent Conference of Rectors has been founded at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU). The inaugural session was attended by rectors of Georgia’s state universities, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, as well as representatives of the Ministry. During the constituent session, Rector of TSU, George Sharvashidze was elected as the chairman with a majority vote, for a term of two years.
George Sharvashidze said that the association of higher educational institutions is yet another step towards Europe. “This association of higher educational institutions represents a platform, where a lot of pressing issues currently facing higher education institutions will be discussed, among them funding for universities, supporting of reforms, etc. We should discuss these issues professionally and offer a consolidated position to the society and the allies of the high school.”
This year was interesting for education sphere, meaning that Georgia is moving closer to the uniform European higher education and research sphere. “At this stage, the association involves only rectors of state universities; however, our door remains open and we hope that private higher educational institutions will also join us,” Rector Sharvashidze noted.
Rector of Tbilisi State Medical University, Zurab Vadachkoria said that the rectors of state universities will develop joint legislative initiatives or comments and coordinate their positions on education reforms. “This association will enable state universities, who actually face similar problems, to discuss them, to form a common opinion and communicate these issues to the Government of Georgia and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport,” Zurab Vadachkoria said.
The Permanent Conference of Rectors will share the fundamental principles of the Magna Charta of the European Universities (Magna Charta Universitatum), such as ensuring academic freedom, autonomy for universities, sharing European and national humanist traditions, integration of teaching and research, etc. It will be the platform, where the rectors will discuss the challenges facing higher education, talk about the issues related to financing of higher educational institutions and coordinate their positions on education reforms.
Such associations of rectors already exist in many European countries.
